For as long as anyone can remember, if there was a sporting contest between the Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids public high schools, you could bet the odds were high that it would be a knock-down, drag-out battle.
For the SPASH and Wisconsin Rapids hockey teams, it is no different. In 44 previous games, the Panthers held a 29-14-1 edge over the Red Raiders.
Thursday at the South Wood County Rec Center, the Panthers earned win #30 in the rivalry as they raced to a 4-1 lead midway through the game and then hung on for a 4-3 victory in the WiPH Boys Game of the Week.
The guests got on the board first with some solid passing that resulted in an Anthony Smyth goal at the 1:39 mark of the first. Austin Haas got the assist on the goal.
Rapids took advantage of a Point penalty three minutes later to tie the contest.
After a shot from the left point sat uncovered on the low left side, freshman Isaac Gilbert punched in the rebound for the power play goal at 4:38, with Casey Esselman and Sam Storlie earning assists.
The fast play and hard-hitting went on in the middle part of the period until Haas put SPASH ahead for good.
The senior forward streaked down the right side and fired a laser from the right circle that snuck between the right post and Rapids goalie Tyler Werne's left pad to make it 2-1 at 12:11. Chase Miller was given an assist on the play.
Shots were 12-10 in the period, advantage Rapids.
The Panthers wasted no time getting on the board in the middle period.
Brock Caufield broke away from his defenders, blazed down the middle and after a deke on the goalie, pitchforked a backhander past Werne just 34 seconds into the stanza. Grant Czaikowski earned a helper on the play to make it 3-1.
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SPASH was a man down a couple minutes later, but they didn't let that bother them.
Czaikowski found himself with the puck in the left circle and sent the puck past the goalie to give SPASH a three-goal lead at the 3:03 mark.
A Rapids player was called for a CFB, and fortunately for the home team, they killed off that penalty and as an added extra bonus, found themselves on a power play right about the time the Rapids player exited the box.
Logan Conkey grabbed the puck for Rapids behind the SPASH net, skated out to the right side and snapped a shot that beat goalie Nathan Siclovan between the left pad and the right post to cut the lead to 4-2 at the 11:00 mark for the power play goal.
Rapids had a couple chances to cut into the SPASH lead, but Siclovan thwarted a 3-on-2 and Cody Kohls missed just wide left with a few seconds left in the period.
Rapids again held the shot edge, 11-8.
The final period saw 30 minutes of combined penalties meted out to the teams, but only one goal was scored.
Gilbert cut the lead to 4-3 on his rebound goal with 3:33 left, with an assist to Luc Kreuser.
Each team had a power play opportunity in the last three minutes, but neither could convert.
Rapids coach Pat McDonald called timeout with 57 seconds left and pulled Werne for an extra attacker. 17 seconds later, the Raiders had a 6-on-4 as their penalty expired.
The last 11 seconds was played 6-on-5, but the horn sounded as Siclovan was covering the last Red Raider shot.
Rapids outshot SPASH 9-4 in the final period.
Siclovan stopped 29 shots for SPASH, who improved to 6-2 (3-0 WVC). Werne made 18 saves for Rapids, who saw their six-game win streak end as they dropped to 6-2-1 (3-1 WVC).
